Adjustable beam clamp



May 24, 1949.

H. 1.. KINDORF ET AL ADJUSTABLE BEAM CLAMP Fil ed Jan. 13, 1948 JNVENTOR.

HARRY L. -K/IVDOMF ORLAN K/NDORF ATTORNEY Patented May 24, 1949 ADJUSTABLE BEAM CLAMP Harry L. Kindorf and Orlan C. Kindorf, San Francisco, Calif.

Application January 13, 1948, Serial No. 2,054

6 Claims.

This invention relates to beam clamps and particularly to an adjustable clamp of the kind employed in supporting cables, conduits or other apparatus or fixtures with relation to an overhead. beam. Many overhead beams in buildings and ships are of the cross-sectional type known as I- beams and present a horizontal two edged flange part from which overhead pipe and cables can be supported. It is common practice to provide beam clamps engageable with the edges of the beam flange to provide such support. Most such clamps, however, must be provided in many different sizes to accommodate the different sized beams and they are relatively complicated and costly to manufacture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple and inexpensive beam clamp capable of adjustment to fit beams of many different sizes and to provide a beam clamp that is easily applied and exceptionally strong. Other objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in which the invention is carried into practice are made apparent in the following specification wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a beam clamp embodying the present invention shown in place upon the lower flange of an I-beam, a fragment of which is illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the beam clamp in place upon the I-beam, the lower portion of which is shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the clamp as it is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a clamping bracket which forms a part of the beam clamp.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a hook plate also forming a part of the clamp and Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a modified form of the hook plate shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the beam clamp of the present invention is adapted for securement to the lower flange IU of an I-beam or the like which beam also comprises a web portion 1 l and an upper flange (not shown), but similar to the flange H]. The beam clamp comprises a threaded hook rod l2, a hook plate I3, also shown in Fig. 5, a combined. clamping bolt and hanger rod l5 and. a clamping bracket l5 also shown in Fig. 4.

The threaded hook rod has a hook l6 at one end engageable over one edge of the flange I!) of the I-beam and the main portion of the rod extends transversely beneath the I-beam. The opposite end I! of the hook rod is threaded for reception of a nut H3. The hook plate [3 is of right angular shape and has a flat portion l9 disposed generally parallel to the rod [2 and a flat portion 20 disposed at right angles to the part [9 with an elongated opening 2| through which the threaded end of the hook rod extends. The opening 2| is elongated to permit vertical adjustment of the hook plate and thereby to accommodate I-beam flanges of different thickness as the nut I8 is tightened on the threaded end of the hook rod to bring the hook plate into the flange engaging position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The combined clamping bolt and hanger rod M is provided with two nuts 22 and 23 on its upper threaded end and the nut 23 is turned downwardly into engagement with the hook plate to bring it into close contact with the upper surface of flange ID. The clamping bolt and hanger rod 14 extends through a perforation 24 in the part id of the hook plate and engages with the outermost edge of the I-beam flange l0. There is a tendency, therefore, when the hook rod nut i8 is tightened, to twist the hook plate toward angular position out of alinement with the hook rod. To prevent this, a lug 25, as illustrated in Fig. 5, is formed beneath the part 19 of the hook plate also to engage the flange of the I-beam as clearly shown in Fig. 2. For convenience and to reduce the cost of manufacture, the lug 25 may be formed by bending inwardly a portion of the material removed during the formation of the slot 2|. As both the lug 25 and the clamping bolt and hanger rod l4 engage the edge of the flange ill with the hook plate in its proper position, tightening of the rod I8 will not tend to twist it to an angular position. A modified form of the hook plate shown in Fig. 5 is illustrated in Fig. 6. In this figure the angular hook plate has the same perforation 24 and elongated opening 2| but two lugs 25a and 2517 are bent downwardly from the edges of the part l9 to engage the edge of the I-beam flange instead of the lug 25 of Fig. 5.

The clamping bracket I5 is of U-shaped cross section having a horizontally disposed flat portion 28 and an inner upstanding portion 29 with an edge 30 engageable with the bottom of the flange Ill and a notch 3| formed in said edge for the reception of the threaded hook rod. The clamping bracket also has an upstanding portion 32 perforated as shown at 33 for the reception of the threaded hook rod, the perforation 33 being alined with the notch 3|. The horizontal portion 28 of the clamping bracket is perforated as at 34 to permit the clamping bolt and hanger rod I4 to ass therethrough and the nut 22 on the clamping bolt and hanger rod is drawn upwardly against the bottom of the horizontal portion. The lower end of the combined clamping bolt and hanger rod I 4 is not shown in the present drawing but may be in the form of a threaded rod, hook, or any other shape convenient for supporting brackets, pipe hangers or other equipment to be suspended from the adjustable beam clamp. When the nut I 8 .istightened, the hook plate and hooked-endlt of the hook rod are drawn into close engagement with the opposite edges of the beam flange [0, while tightening of the nuts 22 and 23 insures that the hook plate .is drawn tightly against the upper portion of the beam flange.

A beam clamp constructed in the manner herein illustrated is extremely simple to manufacture as it consists of no more than two threaded rods and two members formed of strap iron bent and perforated as by simple punch press operations. '12) is,-however,iadjustable for adaption to beams sof warioussizes :as it. is :simply necessary ItO tighten the nut';l.8 on the Lthreadedgend I] to accommordate Iebeams .withmarrow flanges and to adjust :the nut.=2,3. to compensate for .difierences in thick- ,ness of .thel-ibeame-flanges.

We claim:

11.1 A ;be.am tolamp comprising a rod having a hookedaend engageable overoneedge of :a beam 'flangala hook. p1ate.;s1idable on .the rod to engage .the Opposite :edgeofthe flange, .a nut threaded on the rod to urge the hooksplate toward the flange eedge and ;means ,tourge the hook plate toward the'rod :and ;into firm contact with .the flange.

.,2.:A :beam :olampmomprising .a rod having a :hooked end engageableover .one .edge .of .a beam flange, a hook plate .slidablezonthe rod itoengage -.the-opposite,edge .oftheflange, a nut-threaded on the rod tourge :thehook .plate ;toward the flange ledge; and means .to :urge the hook lplate toward sthe rodand intomrmtcontact with the flangesaid :meanscomprising ,a threaded ,rod disposed at srightmneles :to ithehook rodand having nuts ,t-hereon.

3.'-.-Awbeam clamp comprising a ,-rod having a @hooked .end ,engageable lover one edge .of a beam :flange, a hook plateslidable on the rod-t0 engage tthe rod v,tourge .t-he :hookrplate toward the flange .:e,dge, andsmeans to'urge the hook plate toward the .-J.0d:and1into firm contact with the flangesaid means comprising a clamping bracket and a threaded rod extending through the clamping bracket and the hook plate.

4. A beam clamp comprising a rod having a hooked end engageable over one edge of a beam flange, a hook plate slidable on the rod to engage the opposite edge of the flange, a nut threaded on the rod to urge the hook plate toward the flange edge, and means to urge the hook plate toward the rod and into firm contact with the flange, said means comprising a clamping bracket and a threaded rod extending through the clamping bracket and the hook plate, said threaded rod extending downwardly to provide a hanger for articles to be suspended from the beam clamp.

5. A-beam clamp comprising a rod having a hooked end engageable over one edge of a beam flange, an angular plate having a perforation to receive said rod and to form a hook therewith Number engageable with the opposite edge of the beam flange,.a hanger .rod extendingzthrough said-plate at ,right angles to .theefirst rod iandhengageable with the edgehf the flange, and -.a lugtcarried by the, angular plate and engaging ithe same .edge ,to prevent twisting ofethe .plate as it is .urgedstoe ward the flange.

6. A beam clamp -.comprising. a .rod ihaving -a hooked end :engageable with. an ,edge of .abeam :flangeand a threadediend, an'angular plateslida- .ble on :the threaded lend .to. overlay the opposite :edge ,ofsaid flange, a nut on the rodzto urge the .plate toward the :flange, .aru -shaped clamping Ebracket also slidable ion -:the rod andihaving an -.edge. engageable thew-flange, .a .threaded rod extending at right anglesstoa'the hooked-rodland through the angular .plate ,and the clamping :bracke.t,:and,;nuts onsaid threaded nod to draw Said plate and. bracket .against opposite sides of the flange.

-. ARRY L. KINDORF. (ORLAN: 5C. 'KLNDORF.

REEERENQES -.CI: FED The following -references-are of record in the file of this patent:

,U .S IZ'ATESh-BATEN' ZS Name Date I-Barber -'-Dec. 13, i927 Thompson -'Mar. 10,1931 Aslesonet al Oct. 9, 1934 

